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DISCLAIMER:

These guidelines were developed under contract using generally accepted secondary sources. The protocol used by the contractor for surveying these data sources was developed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the Department of Energy (DOE). The information contained in these guidelines is intended for reference purposes only. None of the agencies have conducted a comprehensive check of the information and data contained in these sources. It provides a summary of information about chemicals that workers may be exposed to in their workplaces. The secondary sources used for supplements III and IV were published before 1992 and 1993, respectively, and for the remainder of the guidelines the secondary sources used were published before September 1996. This information may be superseded by new developments in the field of industrial hygiene. Therefore readers are advised to determine whether new information is available.

Introduction | Recognition | Evaluation | Controls | References | Bibliography | Reference Table

Introduction

This guideline summarizes pertinent information about vanadium pentoxide dust for workers and employers as well as for physicians, industrial hygienists, and other occupational safety and health professionals who may need such information to conduct effective occupational safety and health programs. Recommendations may be superseded by new developments in these fields; readers are therefore advised to regard these recommendations as general guidelines and to determine periodically whether new information is available.

Recognition

* Formula
V(2)O(5)
* Structure
(For Structure, see paper copy)
* Synonyms
Vanadium oxide dust, vanadic anhydride dust, divanadium pentaoxide dust, vanadium pentaoxide dust, vanadium dust.
* Identifiers
  1. CAS 1314-62-1.
  2. RTECS YW2450000.
  3. DOT UN: 2862 55 (for the solid).
  4. DOT label: None (for the solid).
* Appearance and odor
Vanadium pentoxide dust is the particulate form of a noncombustible, odorless, yellow-orange or dark gray crystalline solid.

CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

* Physical data (for vanadium pentoxide)
  1. Molecular weight: 181.9.
  2. Boiling point (760 torr): 1750 degrees C (3182 degrees F) (decomposes).
  3. Specific gravity (water = 1): 3.36 at 20 degrees C (68 degrees F).
  4. Vapor density: Not applicable.
  5. Melting point: 690 degrees C (1274 degrees F).
  6. Vapor pressure at 20 degrees C (68 degrees F): Nearly zero.
  7. Solubility: Slightly soluble in water; soluble in alcohol and alkalies.
  8. Evaporation rate: Not applicable.
* Reactivity
  1. Conditions contributing to instability: Heat.
  2. Incompatibilities: Contact of vanadium pentoxide with chlorine trifluoride, lithium, or peroxyformic acid causes a violent reaction, and the dust is also likely to be incompatible with these substances.
  3. Hazardous decomposition products: Toxic dusts (such as vanadium oxides) may be released when vanadium pentoxide is heated to decomposition.
  4. Special precautions: None.
* Flammability

There is no National Fire Protection Association fire hazard rating for vanadium pentoxide dust; this substance is not combustible.
  1. Flash point: Not applicable.
  2. Autoignition temperature: Not applicable.
  3. Flammable limits in air: Not applicable.
  4. Extinguishant: Use an extinguishant that is suitable for the materials involved in the surrounding fire.
Firefighters should wear a full set of protective clothing, including a self-contained breathing apparatus, when fighting fires involving vanadium pentoxide dust.

* Warning properties

Vanadium pentoxide dust is odorless. This substance is therefore considered to have inadequate odor warning properties.

* Eye irritation properties

No quantitative data are available on the eye irritation threshold for vanadium pentoxide dust; however, exposure to a concentration of 0.018 mg/m(3) vanadium pentoxide is known to have caused eye irritation.

EXPOSURE LIMITS

The current Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) exposure limit for Vanadium Respirable Dust as V(2)O(5) is 0.5 mg/m(3) as a Ceiling Value, and the exposure limit for Vanadium Fume as V(2)O(5) is 0.1 mg/m(3) as a Ceiling Value. [Refr. 29 CFR 1910.1000, Table Z-1]

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommended exposure limit (REL) for vanadium dust or fume is 0.05 mg/m(3) as a 15-minute ceiling. This applies to all vanadium compounds except Vanadium metal and Vanadium carbide. [Refr. NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards]

The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) has assigned respirable vanadium pentoxide as V(2)O(5) a threshold limit value (TLV) of 0.05 mg/m(3) as an 8-hour time-weighted average. [ACGIH 2001, p. 59]. The OSHA and ACGIH limits are based on the risk of irritation, pulmonary, and systemic effects associated with exposure to vanadium pentoxide dust, and the NIOSH limit is based on the risk of eye, skin, and lung effects associated with exposure to this substance.

Evaluation

HEALTH HAZARD INFORMATION

* Routes of Exposure
Exposure to vanadium pentoxide dust can occur via inhalation and eye or skin contact.

* Summary of toxicology
  1. Effects on Animals: Vanadium pentoxide dust irritates the eyes, mucous membranes, and respiratory tract and may cause nervous system, gastrointestinal tract, liver, and kidney damage in laboratory animals. The oral LD(50) for rats is 10 mg/kg; the lowest lethal concentration by inhalation in the same species is 70 mg/m(3) for 2 hours [RTECS 1989]. Acutely poisoned animals develop nose bleeds, labored respiration, diarrhea, hind limb paralysis, and seizures [Gosselin, Smith, and Hodge 1984, p. II-148]. At autopsy, the pathologic lesions seen in these animals included desquamative enteritis; vascular congestion of the liver, kidneys, lungs, adrenal glands, brain, spinal cord, and bone marrow; and fatty degeneration of the liver and kidneys [Gosselin, Smith, and Hodge 1984, p. II-149]. Rabbits exposed once for 7 hours to a vanadium pentoxide concentration of 205 mg/m(3) died of pulmonary edema (Clayton and Clayton 1981, p. 2020). Dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, and rats exposed to a 0.5-mg/m(3) concentration of vanadium pentoxide dust for 6 hours/day for 6 months exhibited no signs of toxicity and showed no pathologic changes at autopsy (Clayton and Clayton 1981, p. 2021). Laboratory animals fed 5 percent vanadium pentoxide in their drinking water daily developed anorexia and died within 10 weeks (HSDB 1985). Intravenous administration of 10,900 mg/kg vanadium pentoxide to mice on day 8 of pregnancy induced musculoskeletal abnormalities in their offspring [RTECS 1989].
  2. Effects on Humans: Vanadium pentoxide dust irritates the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract, bronchi, lungs, eyes, and skin of exposed humans. Acute intoxication may cause systemic symptoms, and repeated exposure may lead to chronic bronchitis. Two volunteers exposed to a vanadium pentoxide dust concentration of 1 mg/m(3) for 8 hours developed a persistent cough that lasted for days; at a concentration of 0.2 mg/m(3) for the same period, volunteers developed a cough the following morning [RTECS 1989; Proctor, Hughes, and Fischman 1988, p. 503]. Two volunteers developed a slight cough after exposure to a vanadium pentoxide dust concentration of 0.1 mg/m(3) [Clayton and Clayton 1981, p. 2023]. Sixteen workers exposed to vanadium pentoxide at a concentration in excess of 0.5 mg/m(3) (particle size 0.1 to 10 microns) developed conjunctivitis, irritation of the nose and throat, coughing, wheezing, and rales; the wheezing persisted for about 48 hours, and the rales lasted for 3 to 7 days [Proctor, Hughes, and Fischman 1988, p. 503]. Among boiler cleaners and refinery workers exposed to vanadium pentoxide concentrations ranging from 2 to greater than 100 mg/m(3), many cases of acute poisoning have been reported [ACGIH 1986, p. 620; HSDB 1985]. Watering of the eyes, discharge from the nose, green discoloration of the tongue, and sneezing developed in these workers immediately on exposure, and coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and substernal chest pain developed a few hours later [ACGIH 1986, p. 620; HSDB 1985; Schilling 1952, pp. 50-52]. Exposure to vanadium pentoxide dust produces burning and irritation of the eyes and conjunctivitis even at a concentration as low as 0.018 mg/m(3), and workers exposed to a 1.5-mg/m(3) concentration developed dermatitis as well as conjunctivitis and tracheobronchitis [AIHA 1978; ACGIH 1986, p. 620]. Three cases of vanadium pentoxide-induced skin allergy have been reported and confirmed by patch tests [Proctor, Hughes, and Fischman 1988, p. 503]. Six of 36 Swedish workers chronically exposed to vanadium pentoxide at a concentration of vanadium greater than 0.5 mg/m(3) had bronchitis, shortness of breath, and fatigue; however, no evidence of pneumoconiosis or emphysema was seen in these workers [Proctor, Hughes, and Fischman 1988, p. 503; Clayton and Clayton 1981, p. 2030].
* Signs and symptoms of exposure
  1. Acute exposure: The signs and symptoms of acute exposure to vanadium pentoxide dust include irritation of the nose and throat; clear or bloody discharge from the nose; substernal chest pain; productive and persistent cough; shortness of breath, wheezing, and diffuse or focal chest sounds; greenish discoloration of the tongue; and itching of the skin.
  2. Chronic exposure: The signs and symptoms of chronic exposure to vanadium pentoxide dust include chronic, productive cough; increased mucus production; shortness of breath; fatigue; chronic bronchitis; and allergic dermatitis.
EMERGENCY MEDICAL PROCEDURES

* Emergency medical procedures: [NIOSH to supply]
  1. Rescue: Remove an incapacitated worker from further exposure and implement appropriate emergency procedures (e.g., those listed on the Material Safety Data Sheet required by OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard [29 CFR 1910.1200]). All workers should be familiar with emergency procedures, the location and proper use of emergency equipment, and methods of protecting themselves during rescue operations.
EXPOSURE SOURCES AND CONTROL METHODS

The following operations may involve vanadium pentoxide and lead to worker exposures to the dust of this substance:
  • Use as a catalyst in the preparation of vanadium alloys and compounds
  • Use as an oxidation catalyst in automobile catalytic converters and in organic synthesis
  • Use as a component of special ferrovanadium steels and in electric furnace steels, welding rods, and permanent magnet
  • Manufacture of pigments and glasses for ceramics production
  • Use as a catalyst in the textile industry to yield intensive black dyes and in the printing industry to make resinous black pigments from tar oils
  • Manufacture of ultraviolet filter glass to prevent radiation injury and fading of fabrics
  • Use in photographic developers and depolarizers
  • Mining and processing of vanadium-containing ores; extraction from slag
  • Cleaning and maintenance of furnaces, boilers, and gas turbines
Methods that are effective in controlling worker exposures to vanadium pentoxide dust, depending on the feasibility of implementation, are
  • Process enclosure,
  • Local exhaust ventilation,
  • General dilution ventilation, and
  • Personal protective equipment.
The following publications are good sources of information on control methods:
  1. ACGIH [1986]. Industrial ventilation--a manual of recommended practice. Cincinnati, OH: American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists.
  2. Burton DJ [1986]. Industrial ventilation--a self study companion. Cincinnati, OH: American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists.
  3. Alden JL, Kane JM [1982]. Design of industrial ventilation systems. New York, NY: Industrial Press, Inc.
  4. Wadden RA, Scheff PA [1987]. Engineering design for control of workplace hazards. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
  5. Plog BA [1988]. Fundamentals of industrial hygiene. Chicago, IL: National Safety Council.
MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE

* Medical Screening
Workers who may be exposed to chemical hazards should be monitored in a systematic program of medical surveillance that is intended to prevent occupational injury and disease. The program should include education of employers and workers about work-related hazards, placement of workers in jobs that do not jeopardize their safety or health, early detection of adverse health effects, and referral of workers for diagnosis and treatment. The occurrence of disease or other work-related adverse health effects should prompt immediate evaluation of primary preventive measures (e.g., industrial hygiene monitoring, engineering controls, and personal protective equipment). A medical monitoring program is intended to supplement, not replace, such measures. To place workers effectively and to detect and control work-related health effects, medical evaluations should be performed (1) before job placement, (2) periodically during the period of employment, and (3) at the time of job transfer or termination.

* Preplacement medical evaluation
Before a worker is placed in a job with a potential for exposure to vanadium pentoxide dust, the examining physician should evaluate and document the worker's baseline health status with thorough medical, environmental, and occupational histories, a physical examination, and physiologic and laboratory tests appropriate for the anticipated occupational risks. These should concentrate on the function and integrity of the eyes, skin, and respiratory system. Medical monitoring for respiratory disease should be conducted using the principles and methods recommended by NIOSH and the American Thoracic Society.

A preplacement medical evaluation is recommended to assess an individual's suitability for employment at a specific job and to detect and assess medical conditions that may be aggravated or may result in increased risk when a worker is exposed to vanadium pentoxide dust at or below the prescribed exposure limit. The examining physician should consider the probable frequency, intensity, and duration of exposure as well as the nature and degree of any applicable medical condition. Such conditions (which should not be regarded as absolute contraindications to job placement) include a history and other findings consistent with diseases of the eyes, skin, respiratory tract, or a history of allergies.

* Periodic medical evaluations
Occupational health interviews and physical examinations should be performed at regular intervals during the employment period, as mandated by any applicable Federal, State, or local standard. Where no standard exists and the hazard is minimal, evaluations should be conducted every 3 to 5 years or as frequently as recommended by an experienced occupational health physician. Additional examinations may be necessary if a worker develops symptoms attributable to vanadium pentoxide dust exposure. The interviews, examinations, and medical screening tests should focus on identifying the adverse effects of vanadium pentoxide dust on the eyes, skin, or respiratory system. Current health status should be compared with the baseline health status of the individual worker or with expected values for a suitable reference population.

Biological monitoring involves sampling and analyzing body tissues or fluids to provide an index of exposure to a toxic substance or metabolite. Vanadium can be detected in the blood, urine, hair, nails, and adipose tissue of exposed individuals. Of these biological indicators, only urinary vanadium concentrations have been correlated with airborne vanadium pentoxide exposures; some sources report that workers exposed to vanadium pentoxide at concen-trations ranging from 0.1 to 0.9 mg/m(3) have an average urinary concentration of vanadium of 47 ug per liter of urine. However, no biological monitoring method acceptable for routine use has yet been developed for vanadium pentoxide.

* Medical examinations recommended at the time of job transfer or termination
The medical, environmental, and occupational history interviews, the physical examination, and selected physiologic or laboratory tests that were conducted at the time of placement should be repeated at the time of job transfer or termination to determine the worker's medical status at the end of his or her employment. Any changes in the worker's health status should be compared with those expected for a suitable reference population. Because occupational exposure to vanadium pentoxide dust may cause diseases with prolonged latent periods, the need for medical monitoring may extend well beyond the termination of employment.

WORKPLACE MONITORING AND MEASUREMENT PROCEDURES

Determination of a worker's exposure to airborne vanadium pentoxide dust is made using a low ash polyvinyl chloride filter (5 um) with a 10-mm nylon cyclone. Samples are collected at a recommended flow rate of 1.7 liter per minute until a recommended maximum air volume of 816 liters is collected. Analysis is conducted by inductively coupled plasma (ICP). This method has a sampling and analytical error of 0.11. Confirmation of the presence of vanadium can be made by analyzing samples by X-ray diffraction and X-ray fluorescence. These methods are included in the OSHA Computerized Information System [OSHA 1987b] (ICP) and as OSHA Method No. ID-185 in the OSHA Analytical Methods Manual [OSHA 1987a] (X-ray diffraction and fluorescence). A NIOSH method involving a cyclone and filter, a flow rate of 1.7 liter per minute, a maximum air volume of 1000 liters, and analysis by X-ray powder diffraction is described in Method 7504 of the NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods, 3rd edition, Volume 1 [NIOSH 1987].

Controls

PERSONAL HYGIENE PROCEDURES

If vanadium pentoxide dust contacts the skin, workers should immediately wash the affected areas with soap and water.

Clothing contaminated with vanadium pentoxide dust should be removed immediately, and provisions should be made for the safe removal of the chemical from the clothing. Persons laundering the clothes should be informed of the hazardous properties of vanadium pentoxide dust, particularly its potential to be irritating to the eyes and upper respiratory tract.

A worker who comes in contact with vanadium pentoxide dust should thoroughly wash hands, forearms, and face with soap and water before eating, using tobacco products, or using toilet facilities.

Workers should not eat, drink, or use tobacco products in areas where vanadium pentoxide dust is generated.

STORAGE

Not applicable.

SPILLS AND LEAKS

In the event of a large spill involving vanadium pentoxide dust, persons not wearing protective equipment and clothing should be restricted from contaminated areas until cleanup has been completed. The following steps should be undertaken following a spill:
  1. Do not touch the spilled material.
  2. Notify safety personnel.
  3. Remove all sources of heat and ignition.
  4. Ventilate the atmosphere to reduce the dust concentration.
  5. For small dry spills, use a clean shovel and place the material into a clean, dry container; cover and remove the container from the spill area.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements for emergency planning, reportable quantities of hazardous releases, community right-to-know, and hazardous waste management may change over time. Users are therefore advised to determine periodically whether new information is available.

* Emergency planning requirements
Because vanadium pentoxide dust is a finely divided powder, employers owning or operating a facility at which there are 100 pounds or more of finely divided or molten vanadium pentoxide must comply with EPA's emergency planning requirements [40 CFR Part 355.30].

* Reportable quantity requirements for hazardous releases
A hazardous substance release is defined by EPA as any spilling, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying, discharging, injecting, escaping, leaching, dumping, or disposing into the environment (including the abandonment or discarding of containers) of hazardous substances. In the event of a release that is above the reportable quantity for that chemical, employers are required by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) to notify the proper Federal, State, and local authorities.

The reportable quantity for vanadium pentoxide is 1000 pounds. If an amount equal to or greater than this quantity is released within a 24-hour period, CERCLA [40 CFR Part 302.6] requires employers to notify the National Response Center IMMEDIATELY at (800) 424-8802 (in Washington, D.C. at (202) 426-2675), and 40 CFR Part 355.40 requires employers to notify (1) the State emergency response commission of any State likely to be affected by the release, and (2) the community emergency coordinator of the local emergency planning committee (or relevant local emergency response personnel) and to identify any area likely to be affected by the release.

* Community right-to-know requirements
Employers are not required by Section 313 of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) to submit a Toxic Chemical Release Inventory form (Form R) to EPA reporting the amount of vanadium pentoxide emitted or released from their facility annually.

* Hazardous waste management requirements
EPA considers a waste to be hazardous if it exhibits any of the following characteristics: ignitability, corro-sivity, reactivity, or toxicity, as defined in 40 CFR 261.21-261.24. Under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), EPA has specifically listed many chemical wastes as hazardous. Vanadium pentoxide is listed as a hazardous waste under RCRA and has been assigned EPA Hazardous Waste No. P120. This substance has been banned from land disposal and may be treated by stabilization. Vanadium pentoxide also may be disposed of in an organometallic or organic lab pack that meets the requirements of 40 CFR 264.316 or 265.316.

Providing more information about the removal and disposal of specific chemicals is beyond the scope of this guideline. EPA, U.S. Department of Transportation, and State and local regulations should be followed to ensure that removal, transport, and disposal of this substance are conducted in accordance with existing regulations. To be certain that chemical waste disposal meets EPA regulatory requirements, employers should address any questions to the RCRA hotline at (202) 382-3000 (in Washington, D.C.) or toll-free at (800) 424-9346 (outside Washington, D.C.). In addition, relevant State and local authorities should be contacted for information on any requirements they may have for the waste removal and disposal of this substance.

RESPIRATORY PROTECTION

* Conditions for respirator use
Good industrial hygiene practice requires that engineering controls be used where feasible to reduce workplace concentrations of hazardous materials to the prescribed exposure limit. However, some situations may require the use of respirators to control exposure. Respirators must be worn if the ambient concentration of vanadium pentoxide dust exceeds prescribed exposure limits. Respirators may be used (1) before engineering controls have been installed, (2) during work operations such as maintenance or repair activities that involve unknown exposures, (3) during operations that require entry into tanks or closed vessels, and (4) during emergency situations. If the use of respirators is necessary, the only respirators permitted are those that have been approved by NIOSH and the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA).

* Respiratory protection program
Employers should institute a complete respiratory protection program that, at a minimum, complies with the requirements of OSHA's Respiratory Protection Standard [29 CFR 1910.134]. Such a program must include respirator selection (see Table 1), an evaluation of the worker's ability to perform the work while wearing a respirator, the regular training of personnel, fit testing, periodic workplace monitoring, and regular respirator maintenance, inspection, and cleaning. The implementation of an adequate respiratory protection program (including selection of the correct respirator) requires that a knowledgeable person be in charge of the program and that the program be evaluated regularly. For additional information on the selection and use of respirators and on the medical screening of respirator users, consult the NIOSH Respirator Decision Logic [NIOSH 1987c] and the NIOSH Guide to Industrial Respiratory Protection [NIOSH 1987a].

Table 1 lists the respiratory protection that NIOSH recommends for workers exposed to vanadium pentoxide dust. The recommended protection may vary over time because of changes in the exposure limit for vanadium pentoxide dust or in respirator certification requirements. Users are therefore advised to determine periodically whether new information is available.

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

Protective gloves and clothing should be worn to prevent skin contact with vanadium pentoxide dust. The use of impervious gloves, boots, aprons, and gauntlets is recommended to prevent repeated or prolonged contact [Genium MSDS 1990, No. 88]. Chemical protective clothing should be selected on the basis of available performance data, manufacturers' recommendations, and evaluation of the clothing under actual conditions of use. No reports have been published on the resistance of various protective clothing materials to vanadium pentoxide dust. If permeability data are not readily available, protective clothing manufacturers should be requested to provide information on the best chemical protective clothing for workers to wear when they are exposed to vanadium pentoxide dust.

Safety glasses, goggles, or faceshields should be worn during operations in which vanadium pentoxide dust might contact the eyes. Eyewash fountains and emergency showers should be available within the immediate work area whenever the potential exists for eye or skin contact with vanadium pentoxide dust. Contact lenses should not be worn if the potential exists for vanadium pentoxide dust exposure.

References

ACGIH [1986]. Documentation of the threshold limit values and biological exposure indices. 5th edition. Cincinnati, OH: American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists.

ACGIH [1989]. TLVs. Threshold limit values and biological exposure indices for 1989-1990. Cincinnati, OH: American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists.

AIHA [1978]. Hygienic guide series. Akron, OH: American Industrial Hygiene Association.

Clayton G, Clayton F [1981]. Patty's industrial hygiene and toxicology. 3rd revised edition. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons.

Code of Federal regulations. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, Office of the Federal Register.

Gosselin RE, Smith RP, Hodge HC [1984]. Clinical toxicology of commercial products. 5th edition. Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins.

HSDB [1985]. Vanadium pentoxide. Bethesda, MD: The Hazardous Substances Data Bank, National Library of Medicine.

NIOSH [1987 Update]. NIOSH manual of analytical methods. 3rd edition. Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

NIOSH [1987a]. NIOSH guide to industrial respiratory protection. Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 87-116.

NIOSH [1987b]. NIOSH pocket guide to chemical hazards. Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 85-114.

NIOSH [1987c]. Respirator decision logic. Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 87-108.

NIOSH [1988]. Recommendations for occupational safety and health standards. Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 88-111.

OSHA [1987a]. OSHA analytical methods manual. Salt Lake City, UT: U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA Analytical Laboratory.

OSHA [1987b]. Computerized information system. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Proctor NH, Hughes JP, Fischman ML [1988]. Chemical hazards of the workplace. Philadelphia, PA: J.B. Lippincott Company.

RTECS [1989]. Vanadium pentoxide (dust). Bethesda, MD: Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances, National Library of Medicine.

Schilling R, ed. [1952]. British journal of industrial medicine. Volume 9. London, England: British Medical Association.

Bibliography

Baselt RC [1980]. Biological monitoring methods for industrial chemicals. Davis, CA: Biomedical Publications.

DOT [1987]. 1987 Emergency response guidebook, guide 55. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Hazardous Materials Transportation, Research and Special Programs Administration.

Hazardous Substance Fact Sheet [1987]. Vanadium pentoxide. Trenton, NJ: New Jersey Department of Health.

Material Safety Data Sheet No. 88 [1990]. Schenectady, NY: Genium Publishing Corporation.

NIOSH [January 1981]. NIOSH/OSHA occupational health guidelines. Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 81-123.

Sax NI, Lewis RJ [1989]. Dangerous properties of industrial materials. 7th edition. New York, NY: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company.

Sittig M [1985]. Handbook of toxic and hazardous chemicals. 2nd edition. Park Ridge, NJ: Noyes Publications.

Weast RC [1984]. CRC handbook of chemistry and physics. 64th edition. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, Inc.

Reference Table

Table 1
NIOSH recommended respiratory protection for workers exposed to vanadium pentoxide dust*
Condition Minimum respiratory protection**
Airborne concentration of vanadium pentoxide dust:
0.05 to 1.25 mg/m(3) (25 X REL) Any powered, air-purifying respirator equipped with a hood or helmet and a high-efficiency filter, or

Any supplied-air respirator equipped with a hood or helmet and operated in a continuous-flow mode
0.05 to 2.5 mg/m(3) (50 X REL) Any air-purifying, full-facepiece respirator equipped with a high-efficiency filter, or

Any powered, air-purifying respirator equipped with a tight-fitting facepiece and a high-efficiency filter, or

Any supplied-air respirator equipped with a full facepiece and operated in a demand (negative-pressure) mode, or

Any supplied-air respirator equipped with a tight-fitting facepiece and operated in a continuous-flow mode, or

Any self-contained respirator equipped with a full facepiece and operated in a demand (negative-pressure) mode
0.05 to 70 mg/m(3) (1400 X REL) Any supplied-air respirator equipped with a full facepiece and operated in a pressure-demand or other positive-pressure mode
Entry into IDLH(+) or unknown concentrations Any self-contained respirator equipped with a full facepiece and operated in a pressure-demand or other positive-pressure mode, or

Any supplied-air respirator equipped with a full facepiece and operated in a pressure-demand or other positive-pressure mode in combination with an auxiliary self-contained breathing apparatus operated in a pressure-demand or other positive-pressure mode
Firefighting Any self-contained respirator equipped with a full facepiece and operated in a pressure-demand or other positive-pressure mode
Escape Any air-purifying, full-facepiece respirator equipped with a high-efficiency filter, or

Any escape-type, self-contained breathing apparatus with a suitable service life (number of minutes required to escape the environment)

* The NIOSH REL is 0.05 mg/m(3) as a 15-minute ceiling.

** Only NIOSH/MSHA-approved equipment should be used. Also note the following:
  1. Respirators accepted for use at higher concentrations may be used at lower concentrations; respirators must not, however, be used at concentrations higher than those for which they are approved.
  2. Only full-facepiece respirators should be used with vanadium pentoxide dust because of its irritant effects on the eyes.
  3. Air-purifying respirators may not be used in oxygen-deficient atmospheres or in airborne concentrations that are immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH).
(+) The vanadium pentoxide dust concentration that is immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH) is 70 mg/m(3) [NIOSH 1987b].


Introduction | Recognition | Evaluation | Controls | References | Bibliography | Reference Table